Certain to be Uncertain
by K4no
Summary: Noctis, upon gaining Ramuh's power, finds himself left with an odd feeling in his chest and a new dilemma concerning Iris.
1. Circumstance

**Don't know how far I am into the story proper if I'm around chapter 6, but, on the plus side, there's finally a character tag for Iris on the site. Huzzah.**

 **This story gon' get dirty, so fair warning has been given. I'll leave the rating at T for now, but change it when the time comes with an appropriate notice. Also, in consideration to character age, let's say** everyone is about three or four years older **than they are in-game. It'll be our little secret, yeah?**

* * *

He should've guessed something was wrong when he touched the last runestone that would gain him Ramuh's favor. The rush of power had been exhilarating, reassuring even. He had another trump card in his ever-growing deck and he was ready to test it out, maybe on some Imperial rust buckets. The base over the horizon looked nice.

As he stepped away from the magical rock, however, was when he felt the itch at the back of his mind. He winced, shaking the fog out of his head as he felt something build in his chest. It pawed at his thoughts and tugged at his focus, but he managed to ignore it and force himself to take a deep breath.

...Still in control.

Noctis slowly opened his eyes and blinked, nodding to himself as he felt that whatever was coming over him had passed. "You good to go?"

He glanced over his shoulder at Gladiolus and nodded, idly manifesting his Engine Blade and spinning it artfully. "Yep. Let's get moving."

Noctis felt he had to give the Empire credit. Not only did they manage to royally piss him off by murdering one of the few people he felt he could trust, he could only hold himself back from smashing something when he saw the sorrow evident on Iris and Talcott's faces pretty much sealed the deal. It was then, he decided, that the Empire would get no credit. All they _would_ receive was the brunt of his currently-unyielding rage. At the end of the day, however, he forced himself to take a deep breath. Pacing around (Ignis would say stomping) would only stress everyone out. So it was that he facefaulted onto one of the beds and forced himself to get some semblance of shuteye.

Morning came and promptly headbutted him when he was trying to work out the next move, looking out over the Lestallum alleyways from the hotel balcony as Gladio rattled out something or other about the plan for the day.

"It'll be a squeeze in the car, but just for a while."

Noctis found himself pulled back to reality when he heard that. "Wait, what?"

Gladio simply glanced at him like he'd grown a second head and repeated himself. "I said Iris would be coming along with us. That good with you?"

...Hmm. Logic dictated that no matter how awesome a driver he was (which was something he had convinced himself of), Gladio would absolutely not allow him into the driver's seat while Iris was in the car. And if Prompto was taking the passenger to take photos…

"Yeah, of course."

Damn. Noct pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. This was gonna be a rough little trip. He just hoped whatever was coming would be a bit easier to handle...at least for the morning.

Unfortunately, the gnawing sensation came back when he least expected it.

Put simply, he wasn't ready for what waited at the end of their little destruction tour in the Aracheole stronghold. He had just gotten through getting his ass handed to him by the MA-X, letting out a weak, amused little chuckle as he hit the ground hard. He assumed he heard Ignis calling out to him as he pondered, _...Is this the part where my life flashes before my eyes?_

Balling his hand into a fist against the cracked and fragmented concrete, he heard the distinct sound of thunder piercing the air. What followed was dulled slightly as he felt himself lose consciousness momentarily as that damned feeling overwhelmed him, but, when he awoke, he was stunned silent at the aftermath of what he had inadvertently summoned. The once-impressive mech had been reduced to ash, fortress walls torn asunder, and equipment either burnt to a crisp or blown into countless pieces. He struggled to his feet and held himself up with a lance as he managed to take a good look at the cause of the destruction. The big, bearded...guy loomed over him for a moment, watching with what looked like genuine concern before his three friends made it over. With that, Ramuh smiled slightly and disappeared in a gentle flash of whites and purples. "Well, that was...impressive."

Noctis managed a smile at Ignis' remark, holding a hand to his side gingerly as he nodded. "Yeah, I'm pretty shocked myself."

Gladiolus groaned, but Prompto tried to hold his laugh. "Really, Noct?"

"Yeah, that was awesome. I'm ec-static."

His second try was complemented by slap to the back of the head. "Ow- hey, that hurts!"

"That better have not been another joke."

Noct hid it behind his attempts at humor, but he just could not ignore that nagging feeling nor the heat slowly suffusing throughout his body. For now, he committed to grin and bear it. Retrieving the Regalia cheered him enough to enjoy the ride back to Lestallum. Their next step pretty much boiled down to grab Iris and high tail it to Cape Caem.

"...Hey. Who's that up there?"

Noctis followed Prompto's finger until he caught sight of the figure clad in red and black looking down upon them. "...Is that a spear?"

"No, Noct, that would be a lance."

 **Twenty minutes later.**

"...My everything hurts."

"Wuss."

"Hey, she kicked your ass, too."

"I'll have you know that my ass is perfectly fine. Some cup noodles'll fix me up real good."

"Now you're just pullin' my leg."

"Maybe a bit."

"Let's find Iris and take the rest of the night off."

Luckily, the four wouldn't have to go far. Iris wandered out of the local town hotel and beamed happily when she caught sight of them.

The heat in his chest intensified when his sight fell on Iris. Sure, he had already come to terms with the fact that she was ten pounds of cute in a five pound bag, but he felt...off. He found that his sight was lingering on her for far longer than he deemed comfortable. Forcibly, he looked away, coughing awkwardly and stuffing his hands into his pockets as they approached.

Then she smiled at him and his felt his heart skip a beat or two. "You're back! Did you kick their asses?"

"Oh, yeah."

"Awesome. Did Prompto take any good pictures?"

"Sure hope so. Let's call it a night, head to Caem in the morning."

"Mind if I hang in your guys' room for a bit?"

Noctis blinked. Iris was leaning towards him, as if the answer she would actually pay attention to was his alone. Never mind that Gladio was glaring at him, because poor Noct wasn't sure what would even be the right answer if Big Brother was listening. So. He chose instead to take an awkward step back as Iris regarded him with what could best be described at Insomnia's best puppy-dog look. "I, er...don't see why not."

 _Well, that's a lie, I can see about six feet of "why not" right behind you…_

"Also awesome! You guys go ahead, I've gotta get something first!"

Before anyone could question her, Iris ran off in the direction of the vegetable vendor. "...What's she getting?"

"No idea. Let's just rent a room."

 **Eight minutes later.**

Turns out Iris was getting dinner from the diner. After the meal, the five simply sat and went over Prompto's photos while recalling the day's events.

"And I have no earthly idea as to why Prompto continues to take pictures of shrubs."

"Hey!...They're really nice. If you had the camera, you would know."

Iris, of course, was sitting on the bed next to Noctis. While he normally alternated between welcoming her company and allowing it with nothing more than a noncommittal grunt, he found himself growing increasingly uncomfortable. He pawed at his shirt a bit, taking a draft of soda to try and calm his nerves. Ever since he had called Ramuh earlier that evening, that feeling in his chest had slowly begun to bite at him. He felt warm, weirdly so, and it alarmed him when he felt it intensify upon seeing Iris.

"Noct? You okay?"

He could only manage looking her in the eye for a moment before turning away sheepishly. Her concern was touching, but sort of...disconcerting. Especially since she was apparently the centerpiece of...whatever this was.

"Yeah, just...need some air. Be right back."

He hopped off the bed and snatched up his jacket, ducking out of the room before Iris could grab his arm or something. That's what usually happened in those books he saw Luna reading once…

The night air greeted him with an expected chill, but Noct couldn't be bothered to even put on his jacket. The cold was the equivalent of a cold shower right about now, so he welcomed the breeze even if he felt a shiver coming on. "Noct?"

 _That voice..._

 _Oh. of all the people-_

Iris' hesitation was evident, given that she was still halfway between him and the door and by the look on her face that was torn between worry and shyness.

 _Okay, just keep it cool._

"Is it...another headache?"

Noct smiled slightly, almost shaking his head in denial before thinking quickly and using that as his excuse. "Yeah, uh...yeah. Not feelin' too hot, but I'll be fine."

He groaned inwardly at his choice at words, because he was feeling about the exact opposite of what he said. Iris' close proximity was bothering him more than he thought, a light blush flaring on his face as he felt her step closer. "You don't look too great. "

"I'm sure I'll be fine, Iris. You don't need to worry about me."

"Is that a cut? Why didn't you patch that up?"

"Hey, wait-!"

Noct found himself pressed against the balcony railing as Iris tried to push his hair apart enough to inspect the apparent wound. "Hmm...your magic already sealed it, but it might leave a scar."

"T-that's nice, but can you back up a bit…?"

The cold air was doing nothing now that Iris was in his face, and their proximity unfortunately made it very easy for him to feel her curves nuzzled against him. Iris seemed as oblivious as ever, more concerned about stopping them from falling off the balcony with how much the prince was squirming. "If you don't stand still I can't get a good look- whoah?!"

Predictably, one of them slipped, and it wasn't Noctis. He quickly braced on arm on the railing, throwing the other around Iris' waist as she fell heavily against him. It took her a moment for her mind to catch up with what just happened, but she managed to look up at him and mutter, "T-thanks."

"Uh-huh."

They were both blushing now, but Noct could tell she was simply embarrassed that she even fell while he was...sort of bothered. His mind was plagued by a bunch of things he never really knew he cared about until that moment, like her hair or her eyes or…

He had just realized he was eying her lips before he was suddenly kissing her.

* * *

 **Ahaah, cliffhanger.**

 **It initially confounded me when I found out that Iris was 15. I'm all for fleshing out character details, but...why?**

 **On another note, yes, I'm painting in broad strokes. I'm not a particularly great writer, but I do love the chemistry between Noct and Iris. From where I am, I haven't seen enough of Luna to really feel anything substantial. Maybe I'm just not paying a lot of attention.**

 **Anyway! Hope this was worth your time.**


	2. Two's a Party

**I'm glad some of you are enjoying the story.**

 **I'm drawing a bit of a blank for today's note, so for now I'll just say 'enjoy'.**

* * *

Iris' mind at that point was flatlining a bit when she felt Noctis kiss her- or did she kiss him?

Questions for later.

Critical thinking took a back seat for the moment, and Iris indulged in his affection, allowing herself to be drawn into his chest and trapping her arms against this shirt. His jacket fell from his free hand, rising to slowly, almost reverently, brush her hair back. It was simple, but Iris appreciated it and would have enjoyed if he continued.

She couldn't help but whine softly when she felt him pull his mouth from hers, clutching at his shirt when she felt his hand clamp possessively on her hip. His eyes opened slowly, and she thought she detected a hint of warm affection before he blinked and they were filled with recognition. Iris yelped softly when he pushed her so that they were at arms-length. She would've felt a bit offended if he didn't keep his hands securely on her shoulders. He took a deep breath and looked down guiltily, his hands shaking slightly. If Iris didn't know any better, the only reason he was still holding her was for his own reassurance. "S-sor-"

"I'm so sorry!"

"You...wait, what?"

"Really, Noct, I didn't mean to do that, I just- I slipped and-"

"Iris."

Noct steeled his voice enough for his simple intonation to stop her tirade. His thumb gently brushed against her shoulder as he smiled sheepishly and murmured, "I'm pretty sure that was my fault."

"But I tripped-"

"And I think you're cute. I guess it was a...spur of the moment type thing."

"But it was still an accident, right?"

Iris couldn't keep the tinge of disappointment out of her voice, fervently hoping that Noct didn't notice when she realized what she said. She made to apologize when Noct smiled mysteriously. "Maybe."

"Are-...are you teasing me?"

"A bit."

Iris smiled, relieved by his vague answer. She was truly worried that he would condemn her for the accidental little kiss, but what she got instead was both comforting and confusing. The former in that he seemed to be taking in in stride, and the latter in that he was being very...vague about his thoughts. _Did he enjoy it?_

 _I-I mean, I sure did, but…_

"I'm feeling a lot better, Iris. Thanks for coming."

Inwardly, Noct was trying not to panic. He had just, well...for lack of a better way to put it, made out with Gladiolus' little sister. That burning feeling in his chest had mercifully disappeared, and he couldn't help but think that may have been due to their little tete-a-tete.

But never mind that, what was he gonna do about this? She was smiling now, gazing dreamily at his with those damned innocent eyes and he felt like he was going to kiss her again. He had always considered Luna to be his first and only, but that essentially meant that he had to discard any romantic feelings he felt would develop into a problem.

This was certainly a problem.

There was no denying that Iris liked Noct, though how much was uncertain to the conflicted prince. It was this kind of attraction and acceptance that had led him to indulge her back in Lestallum, genuinely enjoying her tour and glowing inwardly when she called it a date. Whatever he might have wanted to talk about other than the consequences of crossing Gladio was promptly silenced when she had reminded him of his commitment to Luna, driven home hard by the moment of melancholy that shadowed her face. Before he could say something to cheer her up, however, she did the job herself by lighting up immediately and dragging him to their next stop. There was a strange implication when she said that no one needed to know, and, while it might have been a joke, Noctis found himself thinking more intensely about it. He looked again at the girl in his arms and pondered.

Wait, he was still holding her.

He made to let her go, pulling his hands away from her shoulder just before Iris stepped forward to pull him into a quick hug. He froze briefly, hesitantly returning the embrace as his mind caught up with what was happening. Rather than speak immediately, the two simply enjoyed the warm little hug. "Well, you can count on me not to tell anyone. Our little secret."

A soft chuckle rumbled out of Noctis' chest. "Like that date back in Lestallum?"

"Mhm. I guess they're piling up."

She smiled mischievously despite herself, pushing aside how guilty she felt when he smiled again. "Thanks."

"Wanna head back inside? I think Gladdy's gonna bust the door down if we stick around for too long."

"Sure."

Iris took Noct by the arm and pulled him back into the room. He didn't mind, of course, but he hesitated upon seeing Gladio's glare at the close proximity of the two. From his experience on the receiving end of those, Noct could almost tell what he was thinking. _Watch it._

He shot him a look that told him to buzz off in reply. Contrary to his expression, however, Gladiolus spoke with genuine concern. "Feeling better, Noct?"

"Yeah. I think I just used too much magic today. That summon really took it outta me, too."

"Make sure you get a good night's sleep, then. I'm heading back to my room. Good night, guys."

She waved over her shoulder and headed towards the door amid the chorus of replies, stopping just short of the doorknob to look over her shoulder and shoot Noctis a glance. Rather than follow up, she simply grinned and ducked out gracefully. Noctis sighed, falling back onto one of the beds. He idly chatted with Prompto and Gladio until Ignis shut the lights off, and, even then, sleep did not come until at least an hour later.

Noct awoke the next morning feeling much better than the prior night, if only a bit hungry. He curled into his blankets and gazed sleepily at the wall while he waited for the usual alarm to sound.

Except it didn't.

He reached out blindly for the bedside cabinet, trying to grab his phone when he heard a dull thump and the rustling of paper. Opening his eyes and squeezing them shut briefly to wake himself up a bit, he stared at the slip of paper that had fallen on the floor. Noct blinked and grabbed the note, staring at it judiciously before the message registered.

 _Went to see chocobo racing. You were knocked the hell out, so we left ya there. Be back in two or three hours, so freshen up and be ready by lunchtime._

 _And don't do anything pervy with my sister._

"Gonna do everything pervy, jerk."

"What?"

It was then that Noctis realized that the only reason Gladiolus would leave a warning like that was because Iris was still there with him. He turned over quickly to see Iris sitting on the bed next to his. She was wearing a simple black shirt and jeans, and, from what little Noct knew about women's fashion, her hair was free of any kind of muss or bedhead. Seems someone was up way before him. "N-...nothing. I thought you were sleeping in your room."

"Oh, I was. I just thought I'd come check on you."

"Didn't wanna go for chocobo racing with the boys?"

"Nah. I'd beat them all anyway."

Noct rolled onto his back and crossed his arms behind his head, smiling at the mental image of Iris racing circles around his friends while they struggled to finish their lap. "Confident, are we?"

"You bet."

He wound back and hopped off the bed, stretching his arms up and patting his shirt down. "Well, I'm not gonna flip that coin. Wanna grab something for breakfast?"

"Crow's Nest?"

"Guess so. Otherwise I can see if I can throw something together with our gear."

"Can you make Ignis' omelettes?"

"Hey, now. I'm no slouch in the kitchen either, you know."

"How often do you cook?"

"...I can make the omelettes."

"Cool. I'm taking a shower."

Noct turned and looked her up and down briefly, pondering what she was on about. "You look fine to me."

"Thanks, but I don't _feel_ fine. Take your time, okay?"

She hopped off the bed and skirted around his, letting a gentle hand drift lightly against his back as she passed. Noct ignored the instinct to pull her back against him, chastising himself mentally for letting that feeling bite him again. "Alright."

* * *

 **I think one of my problems during my personal writing process is that I feel I need a word quota that is too high for me. As such, I've begun to write more consistent, smaller chapters in the vein of the this story. Hopefully it works out,**


	3. A Momentary Delay

**Okay, so I finally got around to watching the old cutscenes with Stella to see if she really was that much better than Luna. That is some chemistry right there.**

* * *

"Then, uh...add the Eos peas…"

Noct looked up from his notes and gave the skillet a good, hard look. "Seems about right. The Shieldshear is well done, so…"

He dropped his notebook next to where his jacket was sitting, having taken it off much earlier because of the heat from the stove. He had gotten permission from the hotel administrator to haul the cooking gear out back to work there, so here he was. Regular chef de cuisine here.

The prince paused as he felt a tingle on the back of his neck, having acquainted that particular feeling to a certain someone a long time ago. "Gentiana."

"A fair morning, Prince Noctis."

"Indeed. What brings you here?"

"I wished to ask you something."

"Oh? That's sort of rare. Still, no reason to say no. Fire away."

"Very well." She waited for Noct to put a lid on the skillet and turn the heat down before speaking again. Amusing as it might have been, the prince didn't need to accidentally burn himself this early in the day. "I believe that you have awakened...feelings, for Iris."

Noct sighed lightly, putting his hands on his hips and staring at the ground before nodding slowly. "I'm not too sure myself, but maybe. Awakened, you say?"

"After gaining the Fulgarian's blessing, your body has felt...different, no?"

"If by different you mean massively uncomfortable at times, then yeah. Let's go with that."

"Do you know any particular reason why that might be?"

"...Magic is quite...fickle, to say the least. Your personal spells and the craft that follow therein are attuned to your very essence, hence why you can use it with such innate skill. However...consider that your newfound power is a foreign force. Of course, it will gradually attune itself to you, but only when you find a common link between the two."

"...And you're telling me that I feel worse around Iris because I have feelings for her?"

"Do you?"

Noct paused...Did he?

"I...I don't know. I know I love Luna, but...I love Iris, too. Until now, I meant that in a familial sense."

"Has your opinion changed now?"

"I dunno. I...I guess I need some time to sort myself out."

"Of course. Your relationships are your own. I cannot force you to change your mind, so I shan't."

"I realize that this is sort of divine permission to do what I will, but I figured you would take a more active role in making sure Luna and I share the same sentiment."

Gentiana smiled, a genuine expression that eased some of the tension in Noctis' shoulders. "As I said, I cannot force you to love Lunafreya in any particular manner. I already know that you do, but not necessarily as your beloved. All I wish of you is that you continue to love both her and Iris."

"...I can manage that."

"See that you do."

He shut off the stove and sat down on one of the folding chairs he had set aside prior. It would seem that he had reached a crossroads in the love triangle he had inadvertently thrown himself into. Noct decided to use this time to think before Iris finished her shower. "Thanks, Gentiana."

He looked up, only to see that the mysterious messenger had already disappeared. "...Huh."

"That smells great!"

Iris leaned over the second floor railing and beamed down at Noct, having thrown on her hoodie because of a particular morning breeze. "Much appreciated- are you in my room?"

"Well, yeah. This is the room with the best view of the fields!"

"How'd you even get in there?"

"What do you mean? You left the door cracked."

...Oh.

"Well, whenever you're done, your omelette's ready."

"Be right down!"

Unfortunately for Noct's poor little heart, she meant that very literally. She vaulted over the railing and landed about two feet away from the prince to avoid kicking dust into her precious breakfast; a meal that was briefly put on hold when Noct jumped in surprise. "I-I meant use the stairs!"

"You jumped over that railing back in Lestallum, you don't get to say that."

"...Fair enough. Here."

He pulled out a plate and shovelled the now-completed breakfast onto it, passing it to Iris with a customary warning to watch the temperature. "Thanks."

"Mhm. Drinks're in the cooler."

Noct made to start another omelette, fishing for the supplies he needed when he heard some familiar voices, one gruff and another refined. And then...Prompto. "Ooh, something smells good."

"Indeed."

"Hey, Noct! What's cookin'?"

Noct looked up to see his three comrades rounding the corner, although Gladio was walking noticeably slower. The bandage around his waist and slower gait had some worrying implications. "Breakfast. And what happened to you?"

Prompto chimed in when Gladio winced instead of answering. "Heh, he tried to congratulate his chocobo for winning."

"He touch the tail feathers or something?"

"Hey, it wasn't my fault they get a little hyper when you give them Gysahls."

Noct chuckled at the thought. "You got chocobo kicked?"

"Yeah. Stings like you wouldn't believe."

"Eh. You've seen my Boko go nuts on monsters sometimes."

He passed a fresh omelette to Gladio and got started on another until Ignis put a hand on his shoulder and volunteered to take over. "Whatever the case, Gladiolus isn't in any shape to go to Cape Caem. Let us spend another day here, then continue on in the morning."

"Whoa, I'm not that-"

"Yeah, sounds good. We can take care of a hunt contract or something in the meantime,"

"I said, I'm not-"

"Awesome! Iris can come with us if she wants."

"Hey, don't you dare-"

"Sure, sounds fun. Right, Gladdy?"

Iris grinned cheekily at Gladio from where he had long since given up trying to speak up. Instead, he grunted and nodded noncommittally. "Yeah, sure. Why not."

"Then it's settled! Let's hit up the tipster."

 **A long hunt later.**

"Y'know…"

"Oh, boy."

"I know you're trying to look cool in front of everyone, but I don't like you getting hurt more than necessary."

"I would rather have that happen than someone getting hurt _because_ of me."

"It was just a sharp horn. I can take that."

"Pfft. No, you can't."

Noct scratched his cheek with his free hand, sighing softly as Iris pressed some tape to the bandages wrapped around his arm.

" _Look out-!"_

 _Noct grabbed Iris' arm and pulled her aside, raising his arm as he saw it was too late to focus into a dodge. The duplicorn's horn pierced his arm, opening a jagged cut along his sleeve and skin as he threw both himself and Iris out of the way. He stumbled into a roll and hopped back to his feet, briefly inspecting his arm. The duplicorn tried to attack again, but was deterred by Iris' heel crashing down onto its head. She bounced lightly on her feet before turning to Noctis with a wide-eyed stare. "You're bleeding!"_

" _It'll heal. Duck."_

 _Noct pulled out one of his flasks, glancing at the swirl of flame, ice, and lightning glowing within. Rearing back, he manifested a bomb and set it to activate where the duplicorns and spiracorns were gathering. There was a massive blast of the three elements, the dust kicked up from the explosion temporarily blinding the four adventurers. When it settled, the hunt targets were pinned in place by the potent stop magic lying within the flask._

 _Noctis coughed, shaking his wounded arm lightly and fishing a potion out of his pocket. Before he could use it, however, he groaned, a wave of fire dancing across his body as he fell to his knees. His vision dimmed briefly, and he could only curse under his breath when he felt the feeling intensify upon Iris stumbling into his view. The potion fell from his hand as he clutched his arm, feeling as if someone had poured alcohol into the wound. "Ah, that stings…"_

" _Here, let me."_

 _A cool, soothing wave washed over him as Iris used the potion, the long cut on his arm sealing quickly as he felt some life flow back into him. "Better?"_

" _Much."_

" _All done! Thanks for stopping them."_

" _Are you alright, Noct?"_

 _The prince took a deep breath and nodded slowly. "Yeah. Just...need a sec."_

Must be what Gentiana was talking about...but it's my magic.

...Could it be because Iris was in danger?

 _He felt goosebumps rise along his arm when Iris took hold of it, turning it over and inspecting the freshly-healed wound. "You should be fine. Let's go back to Old Lestallum for now."_

Protective as Gladiolus was, even he could lose to his little sister when he was subjected to one of her guilt trips. So here sat the girl and Noct, with the former carefully binding the prince's arm with a swath of clean bandages. "Well, there you go. Now there's no way it can get infected or something."

"Thanks."

Iris shifted awkwardly from where she was sitting, her eyes flitting from his face to his mouth. He noted that she bit her lip and kept looking away as if considering something. Just as Noct opened his mouth to ask what was wrong, she quickly leaned forward and brushed her lips to his in a quick, affectionate peck. "I, um...figured I should thank you for saving me today."

She was blushing now, a gentle red flushing her cheeks as she looked down again, discouraged by Noctis' silence. "D-...did I make the wrong move? I think I might've read into this too much…"

"No, you're fine."

He took Iris' chin in between his fingers and, after a moment of gazing at her face, kissed her again, lingering for only slightly longer that the brush she had given him prior. Content with his handiwork, he sat back and watched her reaction.

Noct tried not to laugh; she was touching her lip rather carefully, as if stunned that he would ever kiss her again. "Noct?"

He felt that burning feeling in his chest flare at her tone, reaching forward to clutch her hand. "Bear with me."

Noctis pulled her arm down from her lips, tugging her forward and kissing her again as she fell against him. He used his free hand to again run his fingers through her hair, coming to rest on the back of her neck. Iris made a small, happy noise in her throat at the feel of his warm hand against her skin, moving her legs so could comfortably straddle his lap. She let her arms loop around his neck to subtly pull him close, snuggling against his chest as much as she could in her sheer desire. Noctis took it in stride, letting the hand that was resting on her neck slide down her back, hiking up the hem of her shirt to gently caress her now-exposed lower back.

Iris broke the kiss, albeit reluctantly, and rested her head on his shoulder as he brushed his nose against her neck. His touch was almost burning against her skin, leaving her blushing and hungry for more. However…"...Gladdy's gonna miss you."

Of course she didn't want to remind him of that little tidbit, content to relish his hands on her body for that much longer. Unfortunately, that would just make Gladiolus even more skeptical of them than she suspected he already was. To her subsequent relief and disappointment, Noctis chuckled and nodded. "Gladdy's gonna miss me."

He spoke in jest, but Iris could tell that he was disappointed as much as she was. She hesitated briefly before kissing his forehead and climbing off of his lap. He watched her stand and awkwardly straighten out her clothes before doing so himself and heading towards the door.

"Good night,"

He reached over to squeeze her hand, offering a gentle smile as she blushed again. "Good night."

* * *

 **Really, the cute thing to do was have them have breakfast and just *suddenly* start making out again. Like out of curiosity or something. Romance movie jazz.**

Honestly, breakfast didn't last long. Two plates sat on the floor as Noct held Iris against him, gently kissing her as she leaned into his chest. Her arms draped lazily around his shoulders as her eyes slipped shut.

 **...and so on, huh? But then we wouldn't have the** _ **guilt**_ **, and the** _ **guilt**_ **is what moves this train forward! But, hey...that doesn't mean the cute is completely cut out. There'll be many times and many places for it.**

 **Till then!**


	4. Under the (Figurative) Bus

**I apologize for the sporadic updates. Seems this always plagues me when I think I'm finally getting back into the swing of things.**

* * *

"Oh, there you are! I was worried you guys would head straight to Caem."

Noctis smirked and looked over his notebook, revealing a liberal scrawl of various tasks he had blindly taken on and felt obligated to complete. He had even loaded down Gladio with supplies and repair kits to be delivered; all with an infuriatingly cheery grin. He allowed the big guy a break to chat with the cup noodle guy while he caught of with Iris with Ignis and Prompto in tow. "Yeah, we're real lazy like that. What's up?"

"It's your surprise present!"

"Surprise? Oh, you mentioned that back on our little tour date."

Iris felt her poor heart flutter with how nonchalantly he referred to the date. She pushed those feeling to the back of her mind when she realized that Ignis was smirking and Prompto was trying to fish out his camera, holding out what she was hiding behind her back. Noct was, put simply, taken aback, eyes subtly widening at the plush...thing in her hands. His mouth opened as if to speak, but no words came out. However, Iris understood the question hanging in the air, an amused smile finding her face. "It's a moogle!"

"A...what?"

"A moogle!" Noctis' face plainly said that he had no idea what she was talking about. "You don't know what a moogle is?!"

Prompto put a hand on Ignis' shoulder and whistled lightly, turning on his heel and heading to where Gladio was still examining cup noodle labels. Ignis gave Noctis one look of pity before shrugging and heading back to the cart. _Aaaand you guys suck._

"Noct?"

"I, uh...don't know what a moogle is."

"It's only the cutest little guy in all of Eos!"

Noct looked at the plush again; it was difficult to call that...thing cute, but he supposed it had its charms. There was that...crystal? Yeah, that crystal. That was nice, right? It looked nice in Iris' arms, and, the way he saw it, she deserved something after the past few days. "It's for you!"

 _...Whaaaaaaaaaa-_

"It can be your personal lucky charm! Or, y'know, a decoy. Either or. So! With that said, if it gets busted up, just bring it me in Caem. I'll fix it right up!"

Before Noct could say anything more, the…"moogle" was pushed into his hands by a now-very-happy Iris. Why was she happy? When he posed the question to her, although worded better than a loony, she simply grinned at him. "Now it's like I'll be following wherever you go!"

"More like you've giving the daemons a punching bag, but sure. Let's go with that."

"Hey, it's better than you being the unlucky sucker."

Noct smiled, impressed and a bit grateful that she was willing to admit her real reason for giving him the plush so readily. "Thanks. I'll take care of it as best I can."

"I'm glad."

Iris grinned happily, then glanced at the three purveyors of cup noodles before circling slowly around Noctis, such that his back was facing them and she was almost completely obstructed from view if they happened to look over. Of course, the strange maneuver confused the prince. "...?"

"I know this is bad for me, but I just wanted to wish you luck."

Her words signalled her intent, so Noct quickly scanned the surroundings for anyone that might've been looking. When he noted that they were in the clear, however briefly, he stepped forward and gave her a swift, longing kiss. He sensed eyes on his back, so he quickly pulled away (much to Iris' disappointment), and elected to simply pull her into a one-armed hug. "I don't think your brother can beat me up over this."

Iris took the embrace in stride, throwing her arm around his side and walking with him to the Regalia. "Probably not. No guarantees, though."

He indulged her with a laugh, letting her go as he headed to throw open the driver's seat. He would miss her company, that was for sure. "Guys, we're headin' out! Gladio, stop harassing the noodle guy!"

Gladio grumbled and pocketed the noodle cup in his hand, fixing the poor merchant with a stoic stare. "I'll be back."

He grinned and clapped the guy on the shoulder before jogging to catch up with Ignis and Prompto. The attendant stared at Gladio's back, as he departed, stunned for a moment until he sighed and adjusted his hat. "I don't get paid enough for this…"

 **The next morning.**

"Noct. Noct, I know you're awake."

The young prince rolled onto his back at Ignis' insistence, staring at the roof of the tent and groaning softly before looking at him. "Ya got me. What's up?"

Ignis adjusted his glasses and brandished his cookbook such that he could see. "I wanted to request your help with breakfast. Would you mind?"

"...Sure. Give me a sec."

A few minutes later saw the sun rising leisurely over the horizon, along with Noct and Ignis setting up for the morning's breakfast. The former figured that it would pass just like the last time, what with the snark contests and bonding over cooking. Unfortunately, that expectation was blown apart when Ignis smirked and remarked, "So. You've developed a newfound fondness for Iris, hm?"

The bite of toast Noct was sneaking went wasted when he sputtered in shock, grateful for Ignis' hand patting his back as he coughed to catch his breath. "Wh-...what?!"

"Hm. You don't have to act so surprised. You weren't exactly subtle with your...affections."

"What do you-"

"Oh, come now, Noct. Ridiculous blushes, swollen lips. And you were smiling like a buffoon when you saw Iris in Prompto's pictures."

"Okay, I did not do that."

"Then would you mind explaining why you saved so many?"

"E-...er…"

Ignis looked up and noticed that Noctis was unsettled by his observations, even on the verge of having a mild breakdown. He smiled and patted his shoulder reassuringly. "Relax. I'm not going to admonish you. The king instructed me not to guide you, so I shan't."

"I don't think he meant you have to be completely hands-off when it comes to my life choices."

"Hm, you may be right. But I feel that this is one of those that I can safely leave in your hands."

Noct sighed, idly stirring the pot Ignis had put him in charge of until his friend said, "That being said, I do recommend that you speak to Gladio about this. Better sooner than latter, all that."

"...Yeah. I'll keep that in mind."

 **Cape Caem.**

"Smile for the camera, Noct!"

"Buzz off."

How'd Noct even get into this situation? He thought back to when Iris had pulled him aside after checking in with Cindy and Cid, a small burlap bag in her hand and a sort of dopey, mischievous smile on her face. It was the contagious kind, so he found himself doing so unconsciously, even if he had to tune out Ignis snickering as he did. Unfortunately for him, it cracked and fell off his face when Iris showed him just what her plan was and just what was in the bag.

" _Carrots! Caem Carrots, to be exact."_

" _Carrotsss…"_

" _Still don't like carrots?"_

" _...No, not really."_

" _Well, that's okay. Here! You can plant these."_

" _That doesn't sound very okay."_

" _Sure it does! You don't have to eat what you grow, just sell it! Or trade it - Be creative, Noct!"_

" _But why do I have to?"_

" _I dunno. You think Gladdy's gonna do it?"_

So here it was that prince Noctis Lucis Caelum found himself pursuing his true calling; planting seeds for vegetables he loathed. He still didn't even know what he would do with the damn things. Noctis glared at the seed between his fingers, adjusting his cap and pushing the offending thing into the dirt. _I hate you._

He picked another seed out of his palm and stuffed it into the dirt, carefully patting down the soil around it upon reminding himself that this would eventually prove beneficial.

 _Hate you, too._

 _Hate you a slightly larger amount._

 _And you._

 _Aaaand you._

 _Not you. I like you…Into the dirt you go._

Finally, free of his charge, he stood and pulled the gardening gloves off his hands, tossing them into the basket of farming tools and brushing some loose soil off his shirt. "Iris! Your seeds're planted!"

"Alright! They should be ready tomorrow!"

 _That quickly? Huh._

Noctis stood and smoothed down his shirt, raising a hand to keep the sun out of his eyes when he noticed someone standing nearby. He was clad in a bright, crisp suit, wearing an unsettling grin to go along with it. The way he looked at Noct was deeply disturbing, but after a minute he noticed his sight had drifted to where the carrots were planted. "...Can I help you?"

* * *

 **I actually think moogles are great. But hey, I'm ain't Noct. So let's run with that.**

 **...Chapter 9's loading screen said at the end that, "his true heart's desire is to find Lunafreya"...YEAH, sure. In all honesty, I couldn't help but chuckle a bit at that, what with...this, being out here.**

 **On the boat ride to Altissia, it starts off with the boys talking like, "OH, we've been through soooo much."**

" **Yeah, and there's still more to come, high five!"**

 **Of course, it wasn't presented like that, but it felt a little hamfisted in an otherwise standard exposition bro conversation. Come on, I've been screwing around doing favors and getting my ass kicked by giant wasps. Stupid, stupid wasps…**

 **Forgive my mild ranting. Hope you enjoyed the chapter. The next one won't take a month, that I can guarantee.**


	5. Sometimes, Look Back

**I just wanna start off by thanking everyone who's given this a read. Much appreciated, as are the feedback from the reviews.**

 **I really want to see more of Cor (...ehehe, rhymed). He seems like a character with a lot of stories to tell. That, and he uses a katana. I'm a sucker for that.**

 **Made it to Chapter 13 as of this writing. Now I can see what the hubbub is all about.**

 **That being said, this chapter will build a bit more upon the emotional weight behind Noct's whole dilemma. Y'know, unless I just suck at conveying that.**

* * *

"We heading out?"

"Now's as good a time as any. Let's go."

Noctis led the party to the Caem Lighthouse, quietly conferring with Ignis as Prompto and Gladio trailed behind. "Where's everyone at? The house was empty this morning."

"I believe they all are meeting by the boat. Good on you to take the initiative."

"Hmm. I'm just worried about what's waiting in Altissia."

"Chin up. You're going to see Lady Lunafreya again."

Noctis sighed, reaching up to scratch the back of his head. "That's not what's worrying me."

Ignis smirked, clapping his shoulder and letting his hand linger comfortingly. "You've known her since childhood. Be honest and go from there."

Noct opened his mouth to speak when a bark interrupted his thoughts and reply. Turning, he tried to ignore the pang of guilt that chewed him inside when he saw Umbra, bearing another one of Luna's messages. He read the message inscribed, his writing hand lingering on the next blank page for a moment before scrawling his desire to see her again. At least that was being honest. When he made it to Altissia, they would be able to have a talk. A quick pat on the head and scratch behind the ears was enough for Umbra to yip happily and head out once more.

The elevator ride was short, but it was enough to pull Noct into a contemplative silence. Before anyone could ask him about it, the ride jolted to a stop, and Noct swiftly stepped out to greet Talcott. As he spoke with the younger boy, his sight happened upon Iris waiting at the middle of the metal staircase leading to the secret port. She flashed him a quick smile and gestured to take his time talking. "I hear there's another Cactuar figure I can find in Altissia. What say I grab that one for you, too, yeah?"

"That would be so awesome!"

Noct grinned, playfully bumping his fist against the boy's shoulder. "You got it. Hang in there, alright?"

He stood and skirted around the now-ecstatic kid, patting his shoulder in passing and stopping in front of Iris. The words that had come to him so easily in front of Talcott ditched him in the midst of the younger Amicitia. He chalked it up to the new and very quick...developments in their relationship. "So…"

"I guess this is goodbye for now."

"Seems it is."

"The Regalia's already waiting below deck. Hopefully, she'll serve as well across the ocean as she did here."

Noctis nodded absently, simply watching Iris shift nervously about as she rattled on about the car and how beautiful Altissia was. While he was no detective, he could tell there was an air of wistfulness in her voice. "Just don't break her, or Cid'll have your head."

Noctis managed a grin at the smugness that crept into her tone. Finally. "I'll keep that in mind."

He stepped aside to make room for Talcott, who was following the rest of the Crownsguard eagerly with his Cactuar figures clutched in his arms. The prince smiled softly at the happy grin he received in passing. "I'll be in touch."

Noct pulled his phone out of his pocket and shook it slightly to provide evidence to his words. "Make sure you keep me updated on the carrots."

Iris laughed softly and mimicked the gesture, her mood successfully improved by the prince's attempt at levity. Noctis smiled, content with his handiwork until Iris put her phone away and spread her arms apart. "For the road. Might be a while."

A small voice in the back of Noct's mind told him not to, implored him to settle for an awkward but safe goodbye. He promptly quashed the thought. "For the ocean, more like."

He could hear Iris scoff as he pulled her close, his arms going securely around her back as her own looped around his neck. Her body heat was an easy reminder of that night, lending Noctis an easy blush alongside a fond recollection. Iris, too, seemed to take solace in his arms, sighing softly and relaxing as if her troubles had temporarily been pushed aside. The two enjoyed the simple embrace for a few precious seconds before Noct decided to open his mouth. "I can feel a target being painted on my back right about now."

Iris held back a shudder as his breath drifted past her skin, keeping focused enough to shake her head against his shirt. "Just fight already. That's how guys like you settle problems, isn't it?"

"Maybe. Don't tell anyone, though."

A familiar disappointment welled up in Iris' chest as Noctis pulled away, brushing his thumb along her arm as he said, "Stay safe."

Iris smiled sadly. "I'm not the one in danger everyday, silly."

"It's still a good piece of advice. Kingly wisdom, all that."

"Then be sure to follow it yourself, Your Majesty."

Noct made sure to wrinkle his nose as he walked around her, brushing his fingers against her own as he trotted down the stairs. He found Cor waiting for him at the bottom. Iris crept down the stairs, watching Cor sincerely apologize to Noct for things that were truly out of his control. She felt her heart tighten in sympathy, almost stepping in to defend the Marshal before Cid did the job for her. Noctis had already been on the verge of cutting Cor off and doing his best to reassure him, but he also held back in respectful silence as Cid spoke. "You need to realize just what you mean to the boys by your side."

Noct froze, glancing at his entourage before hesitantly putting forth, "I do."

Cid gave him a look that expressed his own, silent doubts, but he sighed and continued regardless. "Even if they can't solve your problems, you can't hide what's goin' on from 'em."

Noct sensed that this speech was more than something to build trust, morale. Cid knew. The old mechanic deserved credit in that regard; perhaps he had been part of something similar in his travels with Regis. "...It hurts like hell."

The prince felt a weight on his shoulders at the words, nodding numbly as Cid stood from where he was sitting and headed back to the boat. "Remember - Those ain't your bodyguards. They're your brothers."

He looked over his shoulder one more time to stare at Noctis, and, however briefly, he could see the steel in the elder's eyes. "Trust in 'em. Always."

With that, he grunted and headed on his way. Prompto whistled, impressed by the speech, but, before he could say anything, Cid yelled out, "Waitin' for an invitation? Get yer asses on board!"

Noctis nodded, cocking his head towards the boat and shrugging. "May as well."

Getting on the boat should've been easy. However, Noctis felt as if he was leaving a part of his journey behind. The remainder of the Kingsglaive would wait for him, but there was no telling what awaited him in Altissia. He stared out across the waters until he heard Talcott yelling at him. He turned to see the boy waving and hopping about in an effort to make himself easier to see. Iris was standing behind him, making sure he didn't fall while waving just as energetically. "We need our king!"

Noct grinned and waved enthusiastically, cupping his hands in front of his mouth and shouting, "I'll be back before you know it!"

He lingered on the deck, his hand slowly dropping to his side as he watched Iris. Just before she was swept out of view, Noct watched her smile fall; the subtle gesture was enough to make Noctis' heart wrench in his chest. After a moment, he sighed, bowing his head and turning to face the waters.

It felt as if the road ahead had just gotten longer.

* * *

 **I suppose this is how the story'll play out. Broad strokes of the game's plot, but with more of Iris and how she interacts with Noct.**


	6. You Still Lose

**I was asked to update, so here we are. I'm not feeling too hot about this chapter, but I think it'll go uphill from here. After all,...well you'll see.**

 **Sorry for the delay, thing have just been...hectic.**

* * *

Everything was hurting.

Noctis groaned, raising his head from where it had been lying on the ruined pavement, hands balling slowly into fists as he tried to rise. His clothes stuck to his skin, soaked by the torrential waters of Leviathan. Growling softly, he ignored the biting cold in favor of looking for Luna. His sight quickly fell on her, but it was the other figure squatting next to her that caught both his attention and his growing fury. Adryn looked up at the prince and grinned, dangling a bloodied knife between his fingers and nonchalantly tossing it into the raging waters. With a roar, Noctis threw his Engine Blade like a spear, the blade embedding itself in Ardyn's upper chest. The man was not particularly bothered by the strike, tugging the sword out and glancing at Noct with a small grin. _Nice try._

The prince quickly warped to where his weapon fell, fist drawn back to attack Ardyn. The attempt was dodged, and Noctis felt himself being shoved back by his nemesis. "Don't you have more important things to worry about?"

An Imperial ship descended behind him, the large metal door opening to welcome the villain. Ardyn said nothing, simply wearing a mocking grin as he stepped inside and exaggerated a bow. "Stop!"

Noctis raised his hand to throw his blade again, but his other was quickly grabbed, pulling him back and stumbling into a crouch. He found himself face-to-face with Luna. His eyes widened in horror when he saw just how much she was bleeding, and the paleness of her skin was not helping matters. He grabbed a potion from his supplies and thrust it into her hands, skirting around her when a wave of water rushed towards them. His back took the brunt of it, and he bit out a harsh hiss as the cold in his body multiplied. "Luna, you have to-"

"Now is not the time. You have to forge the covenant."

"You can't be serious right now."

Luna shook her head weakly, glancing at Leviathan before carefully taking Noct's face in her hands. "There's no time. The rest of city will be destroyed if the Hydrean is left to her own devices."

Noct's eyebrows knit together in frustration, reaching up to cup his hand over hers. "Use that, then. I'll do what I can."

He pressed the potion firmly against her as a reminder, planting a kiss on her forehead before standing and jumping into the water. Before he hit the surface, however, he threw a spear, warping to it and latching on to Leviathan as she streamed through the sky. As soon as she hit the water, the force of her landing throwing Noctis away. Luna could ascertain from that alone that this would quickly become a losing battle. Her gaze fell on the Trident lying a few feet away, shifting from it to the potion in her hand. Using it would take valuable magic power away from Noctis. That was enough for her to make the decision to drop it and weakly reach for the Trident.

Noctis gasped, tossing his sword at a crumbling tower and warping to it. He quickly tried to think of a plan for attack when he saw a brilliant beam of light stream towards the sky. In the horizon, he saw similar pillars coming from the general location of the Royal Tombs he had visited. _...Luna...Dammit._

He took a quick look at where he had left her even as newfound power coursed through him. Growling softly, he shouted, "Why?!"

Luna simply watched him scream as the Trident fell from her fingers, shaking her head and mouthing, "Go."

Angrily, Noctis dove in, the Royal Arms shooting past him to strike Leviathan. As he grabbed the one closest to him and stabbed deep into the Hydrean's scales, Luna tried to keep her eyes open as her back fell against the broken railing of the makeshift island she was on. She slowly lost consciousness as Leviathan roared in pain.

Luna could hardly tell how much time had passed since she fainted, her vision blurred slightly as she tried to make out what had happened. The Hydrean was gone, and Noctis…

She caught sight of him only inches away, completely knocked out but definitely alive. She slowly reached out for him, pulling his shoulder and crying softly in pain as she stubbornly pulled him closer. Her hand gently brushed some of his hair, matted by the water, off his face. Luna smiled softly, hugging the prince and resting her head on his shoulder before letting out a forlorn little sob at the unfairness of it all.

"Hey."

Noctis slowly opened his eyes, looking up at Prompto as he set a tray of food in front of him. "It's not the best, but you should still eat something."

Noct smiled briefly and picked up a cracker, gazing at it idly as he murmured, "Thanks."

Prompto offered as best a grin as he could and patted his shoulder in passing, no doubt looking to track down Ignis and Gladio. Noct stared a the tray for a good minute before dropping the cracker and hefting himself out of his seat. He shambled to the room where the team had decided to leave all their stuff, throwing the door closed and sitting on the floor. His clothes felt stuffy, still stiffly dried from the waters of Altissia. Noctis looked at his shoulder, still soaked in Luna's blood, another reminder of his failure and his loss. A lump formed in his throat as he reached with his other hand to brush against the material, tears finding his eyes as he bit his lip. Not a minute later, he threw the jacket off and hurled it against the wall with a roar of anguish. He bashed the back of his hand against the metal wall, ignoring the shouts of annoyance from the other side. The prince slowly sank to his knees as tears escaped from his eyes as he opened his palm, the Ring of the Lucii still resting in his palm; the grim final gift. He closed his hand into a fist and curled into himself, wanting for all his power to crush the ring but unable to in the end.

He walked out of the room, intent of following after Prompto when someone decided to step in his way. "Hey! The hell did you think you were doin', pounding around like that?!"

Noct looked the man up and down, turning to the car his friends were in with a muttered, "Sorry about that."

He felt himself being forcefully turned around, the man taking a fistful of his shirt and pulling him close. Noct grimaced, looking away from the blast of hot air hitting his face. "People are trying to come to terms with their city being torn apart! And you think you can just do what you want?!"

"...Are we done here?"

Noct looked the man in the eye dully, not even reacting when he felt a fist slam into his face, sending him stumbling into the next car. He fell on all fours, staring at the metal floor before slowly standing and facing the livid passenger. He saw fingers curled into a fist rushing towards him again, but the blow never landed. Gladio had caught the man's fist in his palm, roughly pushing him away and shooting him a glare before turning to Noct and carefully putting a hand on his shoulder. "You okay?"

Noct shrugged glumly and nodded. "Fine. Thanks."

Gladio watched Noct for a moment before nodding curtly and walking away, moving to sit in a booth near Ignis. Noct followed suit, sitting across from Ignis and sighing softly as he did. Someone sat down next to him, and he made to tell them off before he heard a familiar voice chirping, "Hi."

Noct looked up at the same time as Gladio did, gazing at Iris sitting next to him and offering a small smile. "Figured you guys could use some help."

* * *

 **I cut off earlier than I initially was going to, but if I leave it here I'll have more to work with in the next chapter. Along with that, I'll be able to get it out that much faster.**

 **I think one of the hardest things for a writer is getting over the fact that their work sucks despite the possible contrary. It seems I've found myself in a bit over my head with this essentially turning into a story adaptation. That being said, I guess you could say this is if Iris became a permanent party member, something that I fervently wish for. Not...shirtless Gladio. I kid, still looking forward to the other DLC's.**


End file.
